Don & Claudia,
Will be great to share your Bambi progress in person at the rally in Newport.....even after I've read your posts & pics on this thread! BTW, we overnited at Waiika Trailer Haven in Yreka on Jan 6th heading to Yosemite. Almost called.....but we were traveling with friends and were in a hurry.

Don -
Today was my first read of this thread. You've done an outstanding bit of work thusfar, and I look forward to reading of future progress. I'm VERY impressed and want to wish you a smooth path to completion of the project.
I was feelin' good about some frame sanding and POR 15 repainting . . . .
Mark

Ok this is just my thought on this, it seems to me that you have the belly of your trailer seald so tight, that it will create condensation in the belly, whitch in return will rot the floor in time but you guys really do not need to worry about that, because you are going to inspect them when 105 years old for the long weekend. I read your threads last night, and like you guys lost sleep over the thought of the condensation gremlin that haunts us all. But with air circulatoin by wrights should elimanate condensation. so this was my thought, If you had two vents in the belly one on each side to draw outside air into belly and had one hole drilled through the floor between each wall rib, and the space that you guys are creating for your insulation in the walls, would'nt that create enough air flow thru the belly and walls to elimanate condensation. It was just a thought, you guys are really doing one heck of a project though, and it is really looking good. The documentation that you guys are doing will for sure help others out for generations to come.

Ok this is just my thought on this, it seems to me that you have the belly of your trailer seald so tight, that it will create condensation in the belly, whitch in return will rot the floor in time....

but if we totally cure the condensation, what are we gonna do in 30 years for fun?

Fun, Yes. I have been installing wiring and trying to figure out what I want. Here is a question. The tail lights on my 63 CA Bambi have two bulbs in each fixture, and a total of three elements. One small bulb with a single element. and a larger bulb with two elements. The twin element bulb is a standard tail light stop light bulb. So far I have used the original wiring. It is that wiring that leads to my question. First the details, The small bulb is wired in with the clearance lights and lights when power is applied to that wire. The large bulb has a wire that lights the tail light elements in both sides of the trailer. The Stop/turn signal elements work standard. Here is the question, What was the purpose of this system of wiring? One of my thoughts is that one of the lights was used as a backup light, even though it would be a red light. In a seven wire umbilical one connection is for backup lights. This trailer never had white backup lights. Although it was wired for them. Second, maybe in 1963 cars had a lighting system where you could turn on the clearance lights separate from the tail lights. I will be using a 6 wire umbilical because the rest of my trailer equipment is already 6 wire. I will probably combine the clearance light wire with the tail light wire for a contemporary connection.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Don

Second, maybe in 1963 cars had a lighting system where you could turn on the clearance lights separate from the tail lights. I will be using a 6 wire umbilical because the rest of my trailer equipment is already 6 wire. I will probably combine the clearance light wire with the tail light wire for a contemporary connection.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Don

Don,

I remember there being a thread on this very issue. I can't find it though.
My lights were wired the same way originally. I need to take a look at how it is now. It works great, but I might have changed the electrical layout slightly.
Combining the 2 wires should work fine, as it is like that in newer trailers.

HI Don, On the tailights, I think you have the right idea. That is how I did mine. I have the exact same lights as you do. I wired the smaller bulb with the running lights/tailights. Works just fine.

On the umbillical cord here is what I suggest and what I did. I bought 25 ft of 7 way cord. Enough to go the length of the trailer right up to the tailights plus about 2 ft out the front. I did put OEM backup lights on my trailer. I am glad I did. IF you didn't want to go that route just now, with the 7 way cord at least the wires would be there should you change your mind later on down the road. You can still put a 6 pin connector on it and fold over the unused wire for now. Just a thought.

What was the purpose of this system of wiring? One of my thoughts is that one of the lights was used as a backup light, even though it would be a red light. Anyone have any thoughts?
Don

Uwe solved my problems with this... I think cars used to have a separate brake and turn signal - so the different filaments served these two purposes. They make circuits that combine your tow vehicle brake and turn signals if you have one of those older cars and want to pull a newer trailer.

As for the umbilical, I wired mine up with a jack on both the tow vehicle and airstream so that my cable is completely detachable. It works well and from the looks of my original cable, the elements aren't good to that wire after a few (44) years.

Fun, Yes. I have been installing wiring and trying to figure out what I want. Here is a question. The tail lights on my 63 CA Bambi have two bulbs in each fixture, and a total of three elements. One small bulb with a single element. and a larger bulb with two elements. The twin element bulb is a standard tail light stop light bulb. So far I have used the original wiring. It is that wiring that leads to my question. First the details, The small bulb is wired in with the clearance lights and lights when power is applied to that wire. The large bulb has a wire that lights the tail light elements in both sides of the trailer. The Stop/turn signal elements work standard. Here is the question, What was the purpose of this system of wiring? One of my thoughts is that one of the lights was used as a backup light, even though it would be a red light. In a seven wire umbilical one connection is for backup lights. This trailer never had white backup lights. Although it was wired for them. Second, maybe in 1963 cars had a lighting system where you could turn on the clearance lights separate from the tail lights. I will be using a 6 wire umbilical because the rest of my trailer equipment is already 6 wire. I will probably combine the clearance light wire with the tail light wire for a contemporary connection.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Don

Don,

1963 cars did not have separage clearance and tail light circuits because they did not have clearance lights. The tail lights and front parking lights came on with the first stop on the pull out switch and the headlights came on with the second stop on the pull out switch. Eighteen wheelers had separate clearance light circuits so that you could signal thank you with out turning off the headlights so they used the same 7 wire plug and wire, using the electric brake wire for the thank you switch.

Why don't you want backup lights?

The small bulb and one filiment on the other bulb is for the tail lights and the second filiment is the brake/turn signal. The brighter filiment is the brake/turn signal.